With the proliferation of many alternative forms of healing, it is often confusing to the average person how to classify or understand them. Different proponents offer different ways of classifying or naming them.
Let us limit our discussion to the non-physical modes or techniques of healing that have been practiced since ancient times. These types of healing are sometimes called “paranormal” healing modalities.
I classify these modalities of healing into four types or techniques depending on where the source of power is coming from. Based on this principle of classification, these so-called non-physical or paranormal forms of healing may be classified into: 1) Mental or Psychic, 2) Pranic or Bioenergy 3) Spiritual and 4) Divine.
In Mental or Psychic healing, the source of the healing power comes from the mind or psyche of the healer influencing the mind of the patient to heal himself or herself.
Examples of this type of healing are the imagery and visualization techniques used by doctors Martin Rossman, William Fezler and others, the visualization technique developed by Dr. Carl Simonton for cancer patients and the prayer healing studied by Dr. Larry Dossey in the United States. This type of healing can be done telepathically at a distance and the patients need not even know that they are being healed or treated.
Pranic
The next type of healing modality, I call Pranic or Bioenergy, utilizes the innate subtle energy of the healer to affect the healing. Examples of this type of healing are laying on of hands, magnetic passes and similar practices.
In Pranic Healing the healer uses his own prana or bioenergy to affect the cure. This mysterious energy is called by various names in different cultures. In India it is called Prana, which is sometimes translated as “breath.” In China it is called “Chi,” in Japan “Ki.”
Wilhelm Reich calls it “Orgone” energy and Reichenbach calls it “Odic” force. Every human being has bioenergy although some seem to have stronger bioenergy than others. Such energy has been measured by sensitive instruments invented by scientists in Eastern Europe.
I would classify the Japanese healing modalities of Reiki and Mahikari under this category, although their adherents, I am sure, would object to this. They claim their type of healing is unique and can only be transferred from the master to the pupil.
The remarkable healing done by healers such as Estebany in the United States, or the Filipino Muslim healer, Warka Adala, in the Philippines would fall under this category.
Spiritual
The third type, Spiritual Healing, takes place if the healer calls on a spirit to heal the sick. In this case the healer merely acts as a channel or medium of healing and does not do the healing himself or herself. These healers believe it is the spirit that is performing the healing using them merely as instruments. In other words, the source of power comes from outside of them.
Brazilian and Filipino faith healers and psychic surgeons fall under this category. And so do Christian charismatic healers who call on the Holy Spirit to heal the patients.
Usually such healers recognize a particular Spirit Guide or Saint who does the healing through them.
The last type of healing I call Divine Healing. This is the type of healing where there is a direct intervention by God. The healing is miraculous and instantaneous. The sickness is impossible to cure by known medical or scientific means. The healings performed by Jesus Christ, and other divine beings of other religions will fall under this category.
In actual practice, however, these various types of healing may overlap. But the above classification will help people to understand better what happens when such healing modalities are used. And perhaps help minimize the confusion that often occurs when discussing such topics.
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